A Knit A Week

So I went a little crazy with the photos for this post, 

but when you spend the amount of hours

that I did for one creation . . .

you want to heavily document it! {grin}

This is another mystery shawl knit-a-long.

I have admired the designer's shawls for a long time, 

but had yet to screw up the courage to tackle one

on my own.  It was great to be joined by a 

couple hundred others in making this shawl.

My lame attempt at an artsy photograph!

Princess #1 showing off one wingspan.

Although you can't see them (due to my stellar photo taking skills),
there are about 200+ seed beads knit into the shawl.
I used dental floss to do it!

It has a crescent shape which is awesome, because the
curve keeps it on your shoulders.

So, so pretty!!

Pattern:  Polaris by Susanna IC (Rav link)

Yarn:  Aurora by Jill Draper in the Blue Agate colorway
This is one of Jill's new yarns! In a word: gorgeous!
Wool and silk lace weight yarn with stunning color!

Verdict:  Okay, so this was a challenge for me. My first lace weight shawl and
first time adding beads to my knitting.
 When I saw the first clue said cast on 361 I about threw in the towel.
However, the brilliance of shawls done this way (bottom up, crescent)
is that you tackle the multitude of stitches while the
excitement of starting a new project is highest.  By the time you're done,
you're down to about a couple hundred. Easy peasy! {grin}

Overheard During Family Devotions

Princess #1:  That is too much to memorize Dad!

King:  If you can memorize the levels on Mario Bros. than I'm pretty sure you can handle this.

Princess #1:  I don't have all the levels memorized!!

King:  I heard you and your friend talking in the car on the way home from the farm, and you knew what level she was on by the music.

((Long pause.))

Princess #2:  Buzzinga.

A Reasonable Explanation

A rash of horse-craziness has descended upon the Castle.  It's not just affecting Princess #2 this time, Princess #3 and the Prince have both been diagnosed.  Troubling for the Queen to be sure.  If I thought being a soccer mom was a tough fit, imagine what being equine mom is going to do for my image. {grin}

I decided I needed to get to the bottom of this madness.  Is being horse-crazy contagious?  Is it genetic?  Hmm. Or is there another, more reasonable explanation?

Queen:  So why are you so crazy about horses all of a sudden Princess #3?

Princess #3:  Well, I realized that I will never have a panda for a pet, but I could have a horse someday.

See?  She is only horse crazy because *real* pet pandas are hard to come by.  You can feel my relief.  Can't you?

Soccer Soccer Soccer

It is the last week of soccer here at the Castle.

(Can I get an amen?!)

It's been fun to watch the girls play this year.

And I cannot say enough great and wonderful

things about the Upward Soccer Program

that they play with.

This was our fifth season and each year

it just gets better.

Karate Kid anyone??  Princess #3 played for the 'Hornets'
this year.  Or, as her coach fondly calls the girls,
the 'Annoying Hornets'. {grin} She learned to be an
awesome defender!!

That's Princess #1 there in the blue jersey running toward the goal.
Her 'Freedom' team was awesome!!  And she has scored a lot
of goals this year.

And that is Princess #2 wearing blue chasing after the ball.
Her team the 'Crunch' really improved their teamwork
over the season!

A Knit A Week

Okay, so I know it's not the end of the year yet,

and I may end up knitting something else

that is takes the cake, but for now,

this "knit a week" is my favorite knit for 2011.

I don't know if it's the combination of the 

yarn with the pattern.  Or the pattern with the yarn. {grin}

But . . .

 something about this project, just makes me happy!

Fall colors--love.  Pattern so simple it is stunning.

♥ Maybe it is my model?  She is gorgeous too! ♥

Pattern:  Hitchhiker by:  Martina Behm

Yarn:  Miss Babs Windsor Sock Yarn in the Mums colorway

(purchased at Sock Summit)

Happiness Is . . .

. . . picking apples with your soon-to-be 98 (eep!) year old Grandpa, your Mom, and your four kids.  Despite feeling cruddy, it was one of the best afternoons I have had in recent history.  What a blessing!!

Happiness Is . . .

. . . wearing hand-knit socks on a blustery day!! I'm wearing this pair of woolly goodness on my feet.

The One Where I Should Have Licked His Finger

The Prince:  Mama, lick my finger please.  ((Holding out a finger covered in chocolate cake crumbs and a few token wisps of animal hair.))

Queen:  No thank you.

The Prince:  Okay Mama.  ((Hops down from the table and proceeds to offer the finger to the patient, eternal optimist of the family . . . Jackson . . . the dog.))

A Knit A Week

Just in time for that first bite of fall weather

a new pair of socks.

These are by far the laciest socks I've knit thus far.

So feminine and so delicate looking in this yarn color.

Pattern:  Shani by:  Nancy Whitman 

Yarn:  Malabrigo Sock Yarn in the natural colorway

Verdict:  This yarn is so soft, but I do wonder how it will

end up wearing, it just feels flimsy. It would knit up a

fabulous shawl though. 

The pattern was well-written and fun to do.

However, definitely not a project to just

toss in the purse and work on during soccer practice.

I worked on this with a group of other knitters 

I met through Ravelry and it was 

a good thing to have that accountability . . .

these might have languished a bit longer if I hadn't had their

encouragement!